BJP, Congress slam Bengal CM for ‘neglecting’ state interests; TMC defends move as protest against Centre’s ‘unilateralism’
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee skipped the 10th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday, triggering sharp political reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. The high-level meeting, themed ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047’, focused on empowering states to collectively drive India’s development journey.
This is not the first time Banerjee has boycotted the NITI Aayog platform. In July 2024, she had stormed out of a similar meeting, alleging she was only given five minutes to speak and claiming the forum lacked inclusivity.
TMC Backs Mamata’s Decision
Defending her decision, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy said, “The way the Modi government replaced the Planning Commission with NITI Aayog was unethical. Not all states are allowed to voice their opinions freely. Whatever the party’s supremo decides, the party supports. Mamata Banerjee has done the right thing by skipping the meeting.”
The TMC has long accused the Centre of using NITI Aayog to push a centralised agenda, undermining the federal structure of governance.
Criticism from BJP and Congress
However, the move attracted sharp criticism from both the BJP and the Congress, who accused the chief minister of putting political rivalries above the interests of her state.
BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said in a video message, “The chief minister has skipped the meeting once again. Last year she claimed her microphone was turned off, but no other chief ministers supported her claim. West Bengal is already lagging behind in several sectors. Lakhs of migrant labourers are leaving, students are going to other states for education. Just to oppose the Centre and PM Modi, she is compromising the state’s future.”
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury echoed similar sentiments. “The chief minister is disrespecting the chair and betraying the people of West Bengal. This is her failure,” he told the media.
Uncertainty Over State Representation
There was no official announcement on who would represent West Bengal in the meeting in Banerjee’s absence, leaving questions about the state’s participation in the national policy dialogue.
The NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting is considered a vital platform for the Centre and states to discuss key policy issues and cooperative strategies. The 2025 theme, ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047’, aims to align state development goals with the national vision of making India a developed country by its 100th year of independence.
A Growing Rift
Mamata Banerjee’s repeated absence from the NITI Aayog meetings highlights the deepening rift between the Centre and non-BJP ruled states, especially West Bengal. As federal tensions grow ahead of the 2026 general elections, the chief minister’s boycott may further polarize Centre-state relations and draw attention to questions about the inclusivity and structure of India’s top planning body.
Sources By Agencies
